Novel approach for the characterisation of Sicilian honeys based on the correlation of physico-chemical parameters and artificial senses

Ambra Rita Di Rosa,Francesco Leone,Federica Cheli,Vincenzo Chiofalo

doi:10.1080/1828051x.2018.1530962

Ambra Rita Di Rosa, Francesco Leone + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1080/1828051x.2018.1530962

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Abstract

The aim of this work was to characterise some of the most representative Sicilian honeys. Sugars, pH and minerals were determined with conventional analyses. Chestnut honeys showed the lowest sugar content, with a fructose and glucose sum of 62.31 g/100g. Citrus and Eucalyptus honeys showed the highest fructose content (38.08 and 38.04 g/100g), while Citrus and Sulla honeys had the highest sucrose content (3.16 and 3.92 g/100g). The highest fructose to glucose ratio was 1.59, found for Chestnut honeys, which had also the highest pH-value of 4.98. Potassium is the most abundant element in honey and the highest values were found for Chestnut and Eucalyptus honey (4.412 and 1.956 mg/g). Among micro-minerals, Zinc showed the highest concentration, ranging from 4.64 to 7.16 µg/g. Alongside physicochemical analyses, E-tongue and computer vision was used to estimate the organoleptic proprieties of honey. In particular, Pearson’s correlation was used to study the relationship between the electrical E-tongue’ signals, pH and sugars content, which have a major influence on the main taste attributes investigated in honey. Chestnut honeys scored the lowest values for the sweet and sour taste, being the bitterest among the samples evaluated. On the other hand, Sulla and Citrus honeys were the sweetest and the sourest. The colour of honey was examined with machine vision and the weight of the different minerals on the colour parameters was disclosed, resulting in dark colours correlated to sodium and microelements, and in a light colour that showed a negative correlation with potassium and magnesium.HighlightsA novel instrumental approach was used to characterise Sicilian honey.Physicochemical parameters of Sicilian honeys were determined.Electronic senses were used to perform a human-like sensory evaluation.Correlation between physicochemical and organoleptic properties has been disclosed.

Highlights

Honey is the most important product of beekeeping, both from a quantitative and an economical point of view; in addition, it was the first bee product used by humankind in ancient times (Adenekan et al 2012; Nayik et al 2014; Nayik and Nanda 2016a)
According to the Council Directive 2001/110/CE of 20 December 2001, unadultered honeys should present a sucrose content lower than 5% and a fructose þ glucose content higher than 60%
Regarding the second parameter investigated, Bogdanov et al (2004) reported that all honeys are acidic with a pH-value generally lying between 3.5 and 5.5, due to the presence of organic acids that contribute to honey flavour and stability against microbial spoilage

Summary

Introduction

Honey is the most important product of beekeeping, both from a quantitative and an economical point of view; in addition, it was the first bee product used by humankind in ancient times (Adenekan et al 2012; Nayik et al 2014; Nayik and Nanda 2016a). Sicilian honeys represent a wide and diversified typology, consisting of more than 30 monofloral honeys with plenty of multifloral ones due to the different climatic characteristics of the production areas and to the high diversity of the botanical species collected by the bees (Perna et al 2012).

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